Apparatus for conditioning paper



Dec. 21, 1943. s. MILNE APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING PAPER Filed Dec. 11,1940 I INVENTOR.

Patented Dec. 21, 1943 2,337,163 APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING PAPER SamuelMilne, Edinbur Hird Milne and John h, Scotland; Samuel Innes Melvinexecutors of said Samuel Milne, deceased Application December 11, 1940,Serial No. 369,627 In Great Britain June 22, 1939 1 Claim.

My invention relates to improvements in paper manuacture and it isdirected mor particularly to the provision of a unique and novel devicewhich is characterized principally by it relamosphere if it were leftexposed. Paper which has been so ,treatedQto a large extent is immunefrom that shrinkage and distortion (known also as cockling") whichoccurs in untreated paper upon its exposure to the atmosphere.

The avoidance of shrinkage and distortion is important and is very muchto be desired. For

instance, in multi-color printing work and the like, where successiveprinting operations are rei quired to be in exact register upon thepaper being used, it is essential that th dimensions of the paper he notaffected by atmospheric conditions in the slightestdegree.

Methods for conditioning paper, heretofore Conditioning the objectionsaboverecited, and which also gives known, all have'the common objectionthat large cumbersome means are necessary to accomplish their-purpose.This objection adds greatly to the costof manufacturing the-devices andaccordinglygwe have devised novel means wherewhich obviates the need forthe large and cumbersome means heretofore referred to.

Proposals for conditioning paper have already been made, but not withthe success which is desired. Some, for instance, have involved theprovision of conditioning machines of a somewhat large size and whichare entirely independent of their respective paper-making machines.Oftentimes, these machines ar required to be placed in special buildingsspecially fitted with larger air fans, special air-conditioning devices,and the like. This type of machine requires an undue proportion ofadditional floor space, calls for additional labour, and increase theamount of broken paper, among other things.

The object of the present invention is to provide a method of and meansfor the conditioning of paper which eliminates or substantially reduces'35 by such a difficulty and objection is overcome. We accomplish thisby the provision of a device x cooling cylinders or against and while itis still in the a better result in the paper product.

With the above primary object in view, among the other objects of myinvention are: first, to provide a simplified construction of aconditioning device; second, to secure a higher degree of accuracy inthe character of the work performed therewith than has heretofore beenpossible; third, to attain a higher degree of spe d in t performance of'the work done therewith due to its unique and simplified construction;fourth, to attain a flexibility or a capability of adjustment by which alarger variety of work can be produced on the same machine; fifth, toattain a greater ease in the adjustment and repair of the machine; andsixth, to provide an improved conditioning device which may be made moreconomically and with fewer operations in the manufacture of its parts,as well as in the assembly thereof, than prior devices heretofore knownin the art.

Accordingto this invention, the paper, immediately upori leaving thepaper-making machine hot dry state (with or without the intermediatereeling) is led on .to cooling rolls or cylinders which are providedwith smooth rustless surfaces.

The cooling cylinders mayusefully be made, for instance, of brass, or ofcopper, or of iron with a copper or nickel or chromium coating, and theycould be cooled by allowing. cold water to flow through them, which coldwater could be taken from and returned to the mill circuit, orotherwise, all as may be convenient.

There may be any desired number of these cylinders, depending upon thespeed of the paper making machine used in conjunction therewith anduponputput required therefrom.

Either during or afterthe cooling process, moisture is imparted to thepaper in definitely controlled amounts from felts which are so disposedas to press the paper against the same other cylinders.

When the moisture, is applied to the paper after the paper is cooled,this application may be made by the use of any of the well-known formsof web-moistening or dampening devices which may be placed between thecooling cylinders and the reeling-up gear. It is preferred, however,that the moisture be applied being cooled, that is to say, as thecooling cylinders.

Accordingly, the present invention may be characterized in that, as itpasses over the smooth-surfaced cooling cylinders, the p per is itpasses around to the paper as it is uniform, moisture.

pressed againstthe cooling cylinders by the felts to the'inner faces ofwhich moistur has been applied for direct transmission to th paper. Themoisture may be applied to these felts by jets of steam inthe form of afine spray, or otherwise, as desired. The felts may be of wool, cotton;or the like.

The cooling cylinders preferably will be in two tiers arrangedhorizontally so -that the'paper would come into direct contact with thecylinders first upon one side thereof and then the other side thereof soas to cool and to moisten both faces of the paper. In such anarrangement, the paper may receive moisture first upon one side thereoffrom one felt, and then upon the other side thereof from another felt.

If it is desired, one felt may supplythe moisture to one side of thepaper as it passes over alternate cylinders of a series, and anotherfelt may supply the moisture to the other side of the paper as it passesover the alternate cylinders of another series. .The moisture may beapplied either to the surface of the felt which is to come in contactwith the paper or to the opposite surface of the felt, all as may bedesired.

Thismachine can be applied immediately to the end of the paper-makingmachine, or ifdesired, it may be an independent machine which wouldreceive the paper from the reels on which 1t is wound up on thepaper-making machine.

By keeping the paper in close contact with the smooth surface of thecooled cylinders and under the pressure of the felts, the paper is firstuniformly cooled as it is then, and not until then the best possiblecondition for receiving The paper is thus discharged from this machinein a perfect condition with any desired degree of moisture containedtherein. The paper is in the best possible condition to obviate anyundesirable changes due to atmospheric conditions.

With the foregoing and various other novel features not specificallyenumerated above and other objects of my invention as will become moreapparent as the description proceeds, the invention-consists in certainnovel features of construction and in the combination and ar-- rangementof parts as will be hereinafter more particularly pointed out in theclaim hereunto annexed and more fully described and referred to inconnection with the accompanying drawing wherein the figure is a side,view of a device embodying the features of my invention and showing thesame in its assembled relation.

Referring now to the drawing more in detail, wherein like numerals referto like parts and referring more particularly to the preferred form ofmy invention which has been selected for illustrative purposes, I haveshown four cooling cylinders indicated generally by the characteristics1, 2, 3 and 4. These cooling cylinders are arranged in two horizontalrows with two cylinders in each row. All of the cylinders have smoothrustless surfaces and they may be cooled by cooling water conductedthereto by a piping system indicated by H.

A felt 5 is provided for the lower row cylinders cooling cylindersarranged whereby a paper I and 3 and a felt 6' is provided for the upperrow cylinders 2 and 4 and the several cylinders and the felt rolls 1 aremounted in a suitable frame 8 which is disposed immediately at the endof a Fourdrinier machine (e. g., following the last calender 9) so thatthe paper, whilst hot from the last calender 9 passes directly to thesecooling and moistening arrangements. As the paper'leaves sucharrangements it is reeled at 10 for its final desp'atch. Steam pipes,indicated by l3 in the drawing, having slots or perforations, areprovided at several points, in close proximity to the inner surface ofthe felts. These pipesl3 direct steam on to the felts for .the purposeof moistening the felts, and the moisture isabsorbed through the feltsand into the paper as described. This is particularly effective becauseI have found that dry paper, which has been cooled, is particularlysusceptible to such a moistening operation.

Manifestly the specific details of construction may be considerablyvaried from those herein shown and described without involving anydeparture from the principle of the invention or sacrificing any of theadvantages inherent therein. While I have described my invention in thisspecification in great detail and particularly with respect tothe'present preferred form thereof, it is not desired to be limitedthereto since many changes and modifications may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.,

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the essential characteristics thereof.. Hence, the presentembodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects merely asbeing illustrative and not as being restrictive, the scope of theinvention being indicated by the appended claim rather than by theforegoing description, and all modifications and variations as fallwithin the meaning and purview and range of equivalency of the appendedclaim are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

The combination in a paper making machine means for treating arelatively hot and dry web as it comes from a calender comprising, upperand lower rows of spaced smooth-surfaced web may pass around thecylinders of the rows alternately so that its opposite surfaces arecontacted with said cylinders, said cylinders being cooled by flowingcold water therethrough, endless felts one for each row of cylindersarranged to press a web into contact with the cylinders of theirrespective rows, said felts being adapted to contain moisture to beapplied thereby to a web between said felts and cylinders, means forapplying moisture to said felt, all adapted and arranged whereby the webas it passes over said cylinders has its opposite surfaces contactingthe cylinders alternately and moisture applied to a surface opposite tothat in contact with the cylinders.

SAMUEL MILNE.

